Lightweight vehicle gun turret

ABSTRACT

A vehicle gun turret that includes a circular or horseshoe-shaped track suspended and mounted over the roof or cab area of a lightweight military vehicle. The track includes three legs configured in a triangle designed to attach to the vehicle&#39;s windshield frame member and roll bar. Rolling over the track is a carriage that attaches to a gun holder that selectively attaches to a machine gun. The gun holder is attached to a rotating stem that fits into a vertical sleeve attached to the carriage. Clevis pins are used to attach to the machine gun to the gun holder and to attach the gun holder to the carriage so that the components may be manually and quickly assembled and disassembled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This utility patent application is based on the provisional patent application (60/515,405) filed on Oct. 29, 2003.

1. Field of the Invention:

The invention relates generally to the field of ordinance and in particular to the mounting of guns on motor vehicles.

2. Description of the Related Art:

Lightweight vehicles are commonly used to transport soldiers in a combat area. Many of these vehicles are truck-like vehicles with open beds used to transport soldiers and cargo. Some of these vehicles have machine guns attached to large, relatively heavy turrets mounted on the top or back of the vehicle.

One drawback with turret gun mounts on motor vehicles used in the prior art is they occupy a large portion of the cargo space in the vehicle making the vehicle less useful for transporting soldiers and equipment. Another drawback is that when the vehicle is disabled, neither the turret nor the machine gun can be easily and quickly disconnected from the disabled vehicle and re-mounted to another vehicle. As a result, when a vehicle becomes disabled in the field of compact, the turret and machine gun are often left behind for local citizens or enemy combatants to recover.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, turret gun mount for a multi-purpose vehicle commonly used by the military that does not occupy a large amount of the vehicle's cargo space.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a turret gun mount that easily and quickly attaches to the vehicle's roll bar and front windshield frame member.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a turret gun mount that enables a machine gun to be easily and quickly connected and disconnected from the turret.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such turret gun mount that enables soldiers to easily disconnect it from a disabled vehicle and re-connect it to another vehicle with simple hand tools.

These and other objects of the invention are met by a lightweight turret gun mount disclosed herein that includes a lightweight circular or horseshoe-shaped track mounted over the roof or cab area of a multi-purpose military vehicle. The roof or cab area of course is the highest point on the vehicle and the area where cargo is usually not stored. The track includes at least three legs aligned in a triangular configuration that securely supports the track in the elevated position. In the preferred embodiment, the three legs can be selectively attached via threaded bolts to the vehicle's roll bar and front windshield frame member.

Attached to the track is a rolling carriage. The carriage includes a vertically aligned center sleeve that selectively connects to a vertically aligned intermediate structure, called a stem. The stem, which is able to rotate 360 degrees around the sleeve's longitudinal axis, is connected to a downward extending neck attached to a gun holder assembly. The gun holder assembly includes a saddle bracket that connects to two gun brackets that extend downward from the bottom surface of the gun. Two clevis pins are used to connect the saddle bracket to the two gun brackets. A third clevis pin is used to selectively hold the stem inside the neck on the gun holder assembly, while a fourth clevis pin is used to selectively connect the lower end of the stem to the sleeve. All four clevis pins may be manually removed thereby allowing the entire gun mount assembly and the machine gun to be easily assembled and disassembled without tools. The track is attached with threaded connectors to the roll bar and front windshield frame member, so that it too can be easily disassembled and re-connected to another vehicle by hand tools.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is top rear perspective view of the gun turret disclosed herein.

FIG. 2 is rear elevational view of the taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carriage mounted on the track.

FIG. 4 is a top rear perspective view of the carriage mounted on a round track.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Shown in FIG. 1 is a gun turret 10 that includes a gun holder assembly 12 attached to a carriage 30 that rolls over a horizontally mounted track 60 mounted over the roof or cab area of a motor vehicle. The preferred embodiment, the gun holder assembly 12 is designed to be used with a M249 model machine gun 90, although it's dimensions could easily be modified to fit other types of guns or weapons.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the gun holder assembly 12 includes a saddle bracket 13 that includes two parallel, upward extending arm brackets 14, 16 attached to the opposite sides a perpendicularly aligned horizontal plate 18. Formed near the two opposite ends of the two arm brackets 14, 16 are two pairs of transversely aligned holes 15, 15′ and 17, 17′ designed to receive two clevis pins 80, 82. Attached to the bottom surface of the machine gun 90 are two downward extended gun brackets 20, 23. Formed on the gun brackets 20, 23 are two pairs of holes 21, 21′ and 24, 24′ that are spaced apart to be aligned and registered with the two pairs of holes 15, 15′ and 17, 17′ on the two arm brackets 14, 16. The clevis pins 80 and 82 are inserted through the holes 15, 15′, and 17, 17′, and holes 24, 24′ to securely connect the gun brackets 20, 23, to the two arm brackets 14, 16, respectively.

Attached centrally to the horizontal plate 18 is a downward extending cylindrical-shaped neck 25. Formed on the neck 25 is a downward extending bore 27 designed to receive the upper end of the upward extending stem 32. Formed on the neck 25 are two transversely aligned bores 28, 29 designed to receive a third clevis pin 84. During assembly, the stem 32 is longitudinally aligned with the neck 25 so that the upper end of the stem 32 slides into the bore 27. A transversely aligned passageway 33 is formed on the upper section of the stem 32 that is aligned and registered with the two bores 28, 29 formed on the neck 25 so that the third clevis pin 84 may couple and lock the neck 25 and the stem 32 together.

A cylindrical sleeve 40 is welded to the top plate 35 on the carriage 30. Formed inside the sleeve 40 is a cylindrical bore 43 designed to receive the lower portion of the stem 32. Formed on the lower end of the sleeve 40 are two transversely aligned bores 44, 45 that communicate with the cylindrical bore 43. Formed on the stem 32 is a reduced neck section 34. During assembly, the stem 32 is inserted into the bore 43 so that the narrow neck 34 is aligned and registered with the two bores 44, 45. A fourth clevis pin 85 is then inserted into the two bores 43, 44 to couple the stem 32 to the sleeve 40. When coupled together, the stem 32 is able to rotate freely inside the sleeve 40.

In the preferred embodiment, the top plate 35 is triangular when viewed from above. Attached to the top plate 35 are three ball bearings 37, 39, 41 that roll over the top surface of the track 60 during use. Each ball bearing 37, 39, 41 includes a roller ball 38 and an upper race member 40 and a lower race member 42 located on opposite sides of the top plate 35. Suitable threaded connectors 44 are used to hold the upper race member 40 and the lower race member 42 together so that the roller ball 38 is held inside a hole 47 formed in the top plate 35.

Attached to the three corners of the top plate 45 are three downward extending bolt assemblies 50A, 50B, 50C. Each bolt assemblies 50A, 50B, 50C consist of a threaded bolt 51, an upper washer 52, a lower washer 53 and a threaded nut 54. Aligned below and parallel to the track 60 and extending between the first and third bolt assemblies 50A, 50C is an elongated stop bar 57. Holes (not shown) are formed on the stop bar 57 which allow the threaded bolts 51A, 5C to extend through the elongated stop bar 57. Attached to the middle bolt assembly 50B is a large diameter stop washer 58. The stop washer 58 is disposed below the track 60. The purpose of the stop bar 57 and stop washer 58 is to retain the carriage 30 on the track 60.

During assembly, optical spacers 59 are placed around the bolts 51A, 51B, 51C and between the bottom surface of the top plate 35 and the top surface of the track 60. The race members 40, 42 on each bolt assembly 50A, 50B, 50C is adjusted so that their respective roller balls roll freely and support the top plate 35 over the track 60.

As stated above, the track 60 is disposed over the roof or cab area of the motor vehicle. In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the track 60 is a flat horseshoe structure with an open area 61 in which the user stands. Track 60 is typically used in a vehicle with no roof so that the gun may stand upright in the passenger seat adjacent to the driver and move the carriage 30 along the track 60. Attached to the track 60 are two vertically aligned stop pins 63, 64 that establish the limits of the movement of the carriage 30 over the track 60. The track 60 is supported by three short vertical leg members 65, 70, 75 that attach to the front windshield frame member 95 and roll bar 96. Attached to the lower ends of the two leg-members 65, 75 are L-shaped brackets 66, 76, respectfully, that enables the leg members 65, 75 to attach to a 90 degree edge (commonly found on a roll bar). Attached to the middle leg member 70 is a flat bracket 71 that attaches to a flat surface (commonly found on a windshield frame member) substantially parallel to the track 60. During assembly, threaded bolts 88 are used to attach the brackets 66, 71, 76 to the upper windshield frame 95 and roll bar 96.

The track 60 may be attached on the vehicle in a front facing direction in which the center leg member 70 is attached to the upper windshield frame member 95 and two outer leg members 65 and 75 are attached to the roll bar 96. Alternatively, the track 60 may be attached in a rear facing direction in which one outer leg member 75 is attached to the roll bar 96 and other two leg members 65 and 75 are attached to the upper windshield frame 95.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, track 60′ is a flat circular structure with a large center opening designed to accommodate the user. Using this track 60, the user is able to move the carriage 30, 360° around the track 60. Like track 60 shown in FIGS. 1-3, the track 60′ includes three, triangularly aligned, leg members 65, 70, 75 with brackets 66, 71, 76 respectively, that connects to the front windshield frame member 95 and to the roll bar 96. During use, the carriage 30 is free to slide around the track 60 within the limits placed by the stop pins 63, 64 with both tracks 60, 60′. Optional holes are formed on the tracks 60, 60′ that allow the stop pins 63, 64 to be located at different locations. The entire gun holder assembly 12 and track 60 or 60′ mount is less than 25 pounds and can be easily disconnected and transferred to another vehicle.

In compliance with the statute, the invention described herein has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown is comprised only of the preferred embodiments for putting the invention into effect. The invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents. 

1. A Vehicle gun turret, comprising a) a track; b) at least three vertical legs perpendicularly aligned and attached to said track, said legs being sufficient in length to align said track in a substantially horizontal orientation over the roof or cab area of a vehicle; c) means for connecting said legs to support structures located along the roof or above the cab area of a vehicle; d) a carriage attached to, and capable of rolling over said track, said carriage includes a top plate aligned parallel to said track and a perpendicularly aligned sleeve attached to said top plate, and sleeve includes a bore formed therein; e) a cylindrical stem capable of sliding and rotating freely inside said bore formed on said sleeve, said neck including a narrow neck that is disposed inside said sleeve when said stem is inserted to said sleeve; f) a gun holder including a gun bracket with a downward extending neck and at least one gun clip, said neck including a downward extending bore capable of receiving the upper portion of said stem, when said stem is inserted into said sleeve on said carriage, said gun holder further including at least one downward extending gun clip attached to a gun; g) at least one clevis pin disposed between said arm bracket and said gun clip to selectively attach said gun to said gun holder, and; h) at least one clevis pin disposed between said stem and said neck to selectively attach said stem to said neck, and; i) at least one clevis pin disposed transversely through said neck on said stem and said sleeve to selectively attach said stem to said carriage and allow said stem to rotate.
 2. The vehicle gun turret, as recited in claim 1, wherein said track has a horseshoe configuration.
 3. The vehicle gun turret, as recited in claim 2, wherein said track is circular.
 4. The vehicle gun turret, as recited in claim 1, wherein at least on leg member includes a bracket capable of connecting to a roll bar located on said vehicle.
 5. The vehicle gun turret, as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one leg member includes a bracket capable of connected to the front windshield frame member.
 6. The vehicle gun turret, as recited in claim 4, wherein said means for supporting said legs over the cab area of a vehicle is at least one second bracket capable of being connected to the front windshield frame member. 